The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-05-20
CHAPTER XII.
OVER 1T.

On leaving the house Bessie and John took
their way down the long avenue of blue
gums This avenue was old Silas Croft's
particular pride, for although it had only
been planted for about twenty years, the
trees, which in the divine climate and virgin
soil of the Transvaal grow at the most ex'
traordinary rate, were for the most part very
lofty, and as thick in the stem as English oaks
of $50 years standing.
Down this charming avenue John and
Bessie walked, and on reaching its limit turned
TO the right and followed a little footpath
winding in and out of the rocks that built up
the plateau ON the hillside on which the house
stood. Presently this led them through the
orchard, and then came bare strip of veldt,
a very dangerous spot in thunderstorm, but
great safeguard to the house and trees round
it, for the iron stone cropped up here, and
from the house one might generally see flash
after flash striking down ON to it and even
running and zigzagging about its surface. 10
the left of this were some cultivated lands,
and in front of them the plantation in which
John was anxious to inspect some recently
planted wattles.
When he had finished looking at the young
trees he returned. On getting to tho border
of the plantation he paused to look at Bessie,
who was some twenty PAGES from him,
perched sideways on the low sod wall, and
framed, as in the full, rich light of the set
ting sun. Her hat was off, for the sun had
lost its burning force, and the hand that held
it hung idly by her, while her eyes were
fixed on the horizon flaming with all the
varied glories of the African sunset he
gazed ut her sweet face and lissome form,
and some lines that he had read years before
foated idly into his mind:
The little curls about her head
Were all her crown Of gold,
Her delicate arms dropped downward
In slender mold
AS white veined leaves of lilies
Curve and fold.
She moved to measure of music
AS swan sails the stream.
He had got as far as this when she turned
and saw him, and he gave up the poetry in
the presence of one who might well have In
spired it.
"What are you looking at7" she said with
smile; "the sunsets"
NO; was looking at you"
Then you might have been better employed
with the sunset, she answered, turning her
head quickly. "Look at IT'LL Did you ever
see SUCH sunsets We sometimes get tnem
like that at this time Of the year, when tho
ehunderstorms are about"
ohe was right; it was glorious. The heavy
clouds Which couple OF hours before had
peen rolling like celestial hearses across the
azure deeps were now aflame with glory
Some Of them glowed like huge castles
wrapped in fire, others with the dull red heat
OF burning coal.
John stood and looked at it, and its living,
glowing beauty seemed to fire his imagina-
ton, as it fired earth and heaven, in such
sort that the torch of love Lit upon his heart
Ike the sunbeams OH the mountain tops.
Then from the celestial beauty of the skies he
turned to contemplate the earthly beauty of
the woman who sat there before him, and
found that also fair. Whether it was the
contemplation of the glories of nature-for
there is always suspicion of melancholy in
beautiful things-or whatever it was, her
face had a touch of sadness on it that he bad